Annual Report - Palestinian Center for Human Rights

majority, and to ensure future representation for the ruling party, Fatah , in local
councils.
The third and fourth stages of local council elections were held in accordance with the
new law. The third stage included 104 local councils in the West Bank. PCHR
criticized the exclusion of local councils in the Gaza Strip from this stage.
On 15 December 2005, the fourth stage of local council elections was held. It
included 37 local councils in the West Bank and 3 others in the Gaza Strip. By the
end of the fourth stage, elections had been held for 265 local councils in the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip. According to sources in the Ministry of Local Government,
elections for 59 local councils, including Gaza, Khan Yunis, Jabalya and Nusseirat,
which were supposed to be included in the fourth stage, had been postponed
indefinitely.
2005 witnessed more Palestinian violations of human rights, for which the PNA are
directly or indirectly responsible. The state of security chaos and the proliferation and
misuse of weapons have constituted an outstanding challenge at the Palestinian
internal level. Many attacks on the rule of law have been recorded, threatening the
security and safety of Palestinian civilians. Such attacks have also included attacks on
public and private property and killings resulting from the misuse of weapons; storing
explosives in civilian populated areas; or using weapons and explosives during armed
rallies by resistance groups. According to PCHR's documentation, 130 Palestinians
(39 in the West Bank and 91 in the Gaza Strip) were killed in crimes and incidents
that took place in the context of the spreading state of security chaos and the
proliferation and misuse of weapons. In addition, at least 550 Palestinians were
injured in the Gaza Strip. These figures demonstrate the serious deterioration in the
security situation in the Gaza Strip. Regrettably, some law enforcement law officials,
persons linked with Palestinian security services and armed groups affiliated to the
ruling party were involved in these incidents. The Palestinian Attorney General failed
to investigate these crimes and bring their perpetrators to justice, which contributed to
further deterioration in the state of security chaos in 2005, which threatened not only
the security and safety of Palestinian civilians, but also the legitimacy of the PNA.
PCHR is increasingly concerned over the pattern of kidnappings that escalated in the
OPT in 2005. The PNA has failed to take effective measures to fight such crimes and
bring their perpetrators to justice. In 2005, at least 18 internationals were kidnapped
in 10 separate incidents. Although all hostages were released without being hurt, such
crimes reflect the state of security chaos and attacks on the rule of law in the PNA
controlled areas. The kidnappers in all these incidents have not been prosecuted, even
though their identities are known. PCHR has evidence that the PNA even succumbed
to the kidnappers' demands in a number of these cases.
Following a 3-year suspension, the PNA resumed implementing death sentences in
2005, which raises deep concerns as dozens of civilians were sentenced to death in the
past years and are still pending the implementation of these sentences. In 2005, the
PNA carried out 5 death sentences in Gaza within a 6-week period. Four prisoners,
who had been sentenced to death a few years previously, were executed on 12 June
2005, and a fifth prisoner was executed on 27 July 2005. According to PCHR's
documentation, the PNA has carried out 13 death sentences since its establishment in
14